Shape_USA-January-February_2017

128 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 SHAPE.COM

Don’t take

rest so literally

“There’s a difference between pas-
sive and active recovery,” Matthews
says. A passive-recovery day means
you’re not doing any physical activity,
and the only time you really need
one is when you’re injured or sick.
Most of your days off should focus
on active recovery, which involves
low-intensity movement, like an
easy bike ride or walking the dog,
flexibility and mobility exercises, or
foam rolling. These activities will
increase circulation and assist in
bringing key nutrients to your mus-
cles so they repair faster, Matthews
says. The goal is to get your heart
rate up slightly and loosen any tight-
ness, not break a serious sweat.

Give your mind

a break too

Stressed exercisers took longer

to bounce back from a strength

workout than those who were more

Zen, the Journal of Strength and

Conditioning Research reports.

Researchers say elevated levels of

the stress hormone cortisol may

impede recovery.

Combat stress and speed mus-

cle rebuilding by practicing this

better body

Pil

at

es

Po

we

ryoga Ac

tiv

e

reco

ve

ry

R

un

Active

recovery

H

IIT

YOUR

WORKOUT

GAME

PLAN

B

oo

tc

am

p

A SMART WEEK OF EXERCISE

Schedule active recovery days

following HIIT-style exercise, like

boot camp, Matthews says.

breathing exercise at least once a

day, says Tiffany Grimm, a member of

the performance innovation team at

EXOS, a training facility in Phoenix:

Breathe in for four counts, hold for

two, and exhale for six. “This brings the

heart rate down, lowers blood pres-

sure, and restores glycogen, which

your muscles use as fuel,” she says.

See your friends

Exercising triggers your body’s

stress and immune responses, and

taking a day off allows these systems

to recover. Socializing may make

them shut down even faster, says

Blair T. Crewther, Ph.D., a sport

science consultant. That bonding

time may also lead to the release

of hormones such as oxytocin

and testosterone, which have

energy-boosting, mood-elevating,

and pain-reducing properties.

Keep your

calories steady

Many people dial back their food

intake on days they’re not working out,

but that can backfire, because mus-

cles need those nutrients to rebuild,

says Marni Sumbal, R.D.N., the owner

of Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition. It

can mess with your next sweat session

too, she adds. “Your energy stores will

be depleted, so the following day, you

might feel overly tired,” Sumbal says.

Stay consistent with your healthy diet.

Sleep, sleep,

and more sleep

“Banking sleep has been shown to

be beneficial for recovery,” says

Amy M. Bender, Ph.D., a sleep scien-

tist at the Centre for Sleep & Human

Performance in Alberta. When

you’re snoozing, your levels of

cortisol are low and your body

releases growth hormone, which

helps turbocharge the tissue- and

muscle-rebuilding process.